After months of planning and discussion, the Sedalia School District 200 is set to break ground on the next phase of Smith-Cotton High School with a ceremony the district will host prior to the Board of Education meeting tonight.
“We felt it would be nice to have a ceremony as we begin the next phase of the high school,” Superintendent Brad Pollitt said. “We take a great deal of pride in our facilities and we think they are second to none.
“It is a testament to our staff and students and the community for the care and support they have shown our schools and the stadium.”
Pollitt said since the opening of the high school in 2010, more than 2,000 students have graduated, which is one reason for the addition.
“Our enrollment continues to increase, which is not a bad problem to have,” Pollitt said. “We knew when we made the decision to move the freshmen to the high school we would have to address the space situation.”
Project Manager Dennis Paul, of Septagon, told the board at the Oct. 12 meeting that the two buildings should be completed by September 2017.
“It’s an aggressive goal,” Pollitt said. “It will depend on the weather and the playoffs.
“The playoffs may slow our start down,” Pollitt added. “But we want the team to continue the success they have had this season.”
The undefeated S-C Tigers will host their first district playoff game at Tiger Stadium on Friday night.
The board will discuss the success of another athletic program Monday, as they will vote on the possible addition of an assistant track coach.
“Last year we had more than 120 students out for track,” Pollitt said. “We are expecting more to participate this year and we are excited about the expansion of the program.”
The position, if approved, will only be filled if the numbers warrant it, Pollitt said.
The board will also hear a report from Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Carla Wheeler on the district’s APR (Annual Progress Report). The district scored a 90 percent on the annual state report.
“We are extremely pleased with our APR this year,” Pollitt said. “We gained six and a half points in academic achievement and two points in attendance, which is significant.”
Those two areas go hand in hand, Pollitt said, commenting that students perform better when they are in class.
“This year’s test was more challenging and all the administrators appreciate how hard the teachers and staff worked to prepare the students for their testing,” Pollitt said. “We also appreciate how seriously the students took the test and how they stepped up this year.”
The board will also hear reports on the Title One programs, the Food Service program, and Professional Development program.
The groundbreaking ceremony will begin at 6 p.m., with the board meeting immediately following in the Smith-Cotton Media Center, 2010 Tiger Pride Blvd. For more information, call the central office at 829-6450.